Generally, a conventional spinning reel, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Gazette No. Sho 60-168375, includes a spool which is supported to a spool shaft and on which a fishing line is wound, so that the spool may rotate together with the spool shaft with respect to a reel body, and further includes a drag mechanism provided between the spool shaft and the reel body for exerting a braking effect against rotation of the spool.
The above-described drag mechanism is a so-called rear drag mechanism which is provided at the rear of the reel body. A so-called front drag mechanism is also well-known which includes a spool shaft supported to be non-rotatable and axially movable with respect to the reel body, a spool supported to rotate relative to the spool shaft, and a drag mechanism provided between the spool and the spool shaft.
In either of the above types of drag mechanisms, an adjustor at the drag mechanism is rotatably operated to adjust a braking force set by the drag mechanism so as to exert a predetermined braking effect against rotation of the spool, the adjustor being rotated to previously set the braking force corresponding to a kind of fish desired to be caught.
U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 195,909 discloses a braking force measuring mechanism for measuring the braking force set by the drag mechanism of a spinning reel.
This braking force measuring mechanism is constructed such that a spool is rotatably supported through a spool holder to the spool shaft subjected to the braking action by the drag mechanism, and an elastic member is provided between the spool and the spool holder for biasing the spool in a direction opposite to the direction of drawing out the fishing line from the spool. A pointer is provided at one of the spool and the spool holder and a dial with a scale indicating the braking force is provided at the other. A retaining recess is provided at the front surface of the spool, and at the spool holder is provided a blocking member engageable with or disengageable from the retaining recess and engaging therewith to lock the spool with respect to the spool holder in the direction of drawing out the line from the spool. The blocking member is released to rotate the spool against the elastic member in the direction of drawing out the line, thereby enabling easy measurement of the braking force set by the drag mechanism, and engages with the retaining recess to lock the rotation of the spool with respect to the spool holder, thereby preventing the elastic member from deflecting during normal fishing.
The braking force measuring mechanism has sufficient strength to withstand tension applied to the line because the blocking member and the engaging recess are subjected to the tension when the line is wound up onto the spool for fishing a hooked fish.
The blocking member is disadvantageous, however, in that it is movably supported to the front surface of the spool holder before the spool, is limited with respect to enlargement of its sectional configuration in order to improve its durability, and also projects outwardly from the reel body resulting in a poor aesthetic appearance and the danger of its catching the line drawn out from the spool.